Bengal CM Mamata Kicks Off Two-Day Dharna Against Centre's 'Discrimination' Towards State. In Pics

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee began a two-day dharna in Kolkata today, as the Trinamool Congress stepped up its attack on the BJP ahead of the state's panchayat elections.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at protest against the central government

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee began a two-day sit-in protest in Kolkata on Wednesday to protest the BJP-led Union government's alleged discriminatory attitude towards the state. (Image Source: PTI)

Banerjee arrived at the venue in front of Dr B R Ambedkar's statue on Red Road around noon, accompanied by senior party leaders Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Subrata Bakshi, and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, and began her protest against the Centre's alleged suspension of funds to the state for MGNREGA and other housing and road department schemes. (Image Source: PTI)

The sit-in protest will continue until Thursday evening. (Image Source: PTI)

"The Centre has stopped releasing funds for MGNREGA and Indira Awas Yojana (Grameen). Besides, it has also stopped scholarships for OBC students": she said on Tuesday, while launching a project to construct 12,000 km of rural roads. (Image Source: PTI)

She claimed that the Centre has not released over Rs 7,000 crores in pending MGNREGA funds, despite West Bengal topping the list of states in completing MGNREGA work. (Image Source: PTI)

Previously, she claimed that West Bengal had not received its due from the Centre, and that there was nothing for the eastern state in this year's budget. (Image Source: PTI)

"As a result, in protest of the Centre's discrimination against West Bengal, I, as chief minister, will stage a sit-in demonstration in front of Dr B R Ambedkar's statue in Kolkata beginning March 29 and continuing until the evening of March 30," she had stated. (Image Source: PTI)